The Ducks played well into May instead of wrapping up in April. But they didn’t make it to June thanks to the Nashville Predators, the team that’s replaced the Detroit Red Wings as their playoff nemesis. Three playoff matchups, three wrenching defeats.

The latest one particularly stung as it came in the Western Conference finals. Ducks general manager Bob Murray’s response was making a notable change in one area — Ryan Miller now backs up John Gibson in goal instead of Jonathan Bernier — and creating financial flexibility to lock up his own.

Otherwise, it is status quo in terms of essential pieces to start out 2017-18. As another training camp is set to open, the Ducks will deal with a familiar topic: getting over the hump to play for the Stanley Cup.

What is the status of Hampus Lindholm, Sami Vatanen or Ryan Kesler?

All three figure to progress with their rehabilitation from major surgeries this off-season, but it would be shocking if any of them were to play an exhibition game and be ready for the regular-season opener against Arizona. Lindholm could be the closest of the injured trio to become available, but his surgically repaired left shoulder hasn’t allowed him to shoot the puck with authority. The same goes for Vatanen, who had his right shoulder fixed but is looking at a target date of November for game action. A bad hip may have been one reason why Kesler faded in the second half and was essentially a one-way defensive player in the playoffs. His procedure could keep him out a few weeks into the season, but a silver lining could be that he is fresher for the postseason instead of being worn down after 82 games of shutdown duty. The Ducks plan to offer an update on all three Friday after they’ve been re-evaluated.

Will Corey Perry bounce back to being Corey Perry?

Let’s face it. At 32, Perry’s best days are behind him. Don’t count on him for 40 goals, much less duplicating the 50 he got in 2011. It might be fair to wonder if 30 — a number that he’s hit six times — is a stretch after his 19 in 2016-17 was the fewest in a full 82-game season since his second year. There are some signs the longtime right wing may have one more highly productive season left in him. He had 215 shots on goal, the same as in 2015-16 when he found the net 34 times. His shooting percentage was 8.8, tying a career low. If he is anywhere near his 13.2 percent average for a similar amount of shots, it could mean 27 or 28 goals. That’s good production in an era where goals are harder to come by, but Perry has to show he still warrants the same kind of ice time after being moved to the third line when Patrick Eaves came aboard.

Where will Rickard Rakell play? Wing or center?

In his third full season, Rakell took off as he became a finisher who thrived when he was moved away from the middle and had fewer defensive responsibilities as well as having to deal with winning faceoffs. His 33 goals made him the first player other than Corey Perry or Ryan Getzlaf to lead the Ducks in a single season since Bobby Ryan in 2009-10. Rakell also had a career-high 18.6 shooting percentage that’s far above what he had done previously. Some market correction could bring his production down unless he improves on the 177 shots he put on goal. It would seem that keeping him on left wing would be a no-brainer. And that could be Randy Carlyle’s plan unless he revisits the notion of trying him again at center, particularly with Kesler still in recovery mode.

Does Jacob Larsson make the team out of camp? Or does Sam Steel?

Does either? It’s not as if the Ducks are some rebuilding outfit that needs to fill holes after jettisoning some underperforming dead weight. The aforementioned injuries to those essential regulars do allow for the possibility of either top prospect to make a case for the club to keep them beyond the preseason. Larsson may have the better shot as the loss of two puck movers in Lindholm and Vatanen will move veterans Kevin Bieksa and Francois Beauchemin into higher roles, creating an opening where he’ll likely have to beat out veteran extras in Korbinian Holzer and Steve Oleksy. The 19-year-old Steel, a heady playmaking center, was one of the best players in Canadian major junior hockey last season and made himself a constant presence in the Ducks’ rookie camp and the recent Prospect Showcase in San Jose.

What roles will new assistant coaches Steve Konowalchuk and Mark Morrison have?

Those are being worked out by Carlyle and figure to be clearly defined before camp breaks. Trent Yawney is expected to still run the defense and penalty killing, two areas in which the Ducks have success. Rich Preston is expected to remain as the “eye in the sky”. But in not renewing Paul MacLean’s contract, there will be a need for a new voice to work on fixing a power play that was a major disappointment last season. The Ducks started out well in that area and then faded all the way until their elimination. Is that where Konowalchuk fits? The 44-year-old was a 13-year NHL left wing who scored 171 goals and joins Anaheim after a successful six-year turn as coach of the junior-level Seattle Thunderbirds, with a Western Hockey League championship won last season. Morrison, 54, has spent the past six years in the Winnipeg Jets organization.

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